Nebulizer with press-type medicine cup

ABSTRACT

A nebulizer with a press-type medicine cup is provided. The nebulizer includes a body, a medicine cup, an engagement structure, and a multi-directional resilient member. The engagement structure includes an inner protruding base and an outer protruding block disposed outside the inner protruding base. The inner protruding base and the outer protruding block extend from the body and the medicine cup. The inner protruding base includes a cavity inside and includes two through holes. The outer protruding block includes two engagement grooves. The multi-directional resilient member is installed in the cavity and includes a press element, two straight resilient arms extend from the press element, two oblique resilient arms are bent from the two straight resilient arms, and each oblique resilient arm has a block member. The two block members are inserted through the two through holes to be engaged with the two engagement grooves.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a nebulizer structure and, inparticular, to a nebulizer with a press-type medicine cup.

BACKGROUND

Due to development of medical technology, medical nebulizers areavailable to allow patients to take medicine effectively andconveniently. The nebulizer turns a medicinal liquid into medicinalaerosol and then delivers, via a passage or a port, the medicinalaerosol into the patient's mouth, thus providing treatment rapidly andeffectively. Therefore, the nebulizers have been widely adoptednowadays.

Conventional nebulizers typically include ultrasonic nebulizers andpneumatic (compressed gas) nebulizers. The ultrasonic nebulizers utilizeultrasonic sound waves to turn the medicinal liquid into the aerosol. Inthe pneumatic medical nebulizers, a compressed gas passes through asmall tube opening to generate a high-speed airflow, which causes anegative pressure. By means of the negative pressure, the liquid and/orother fluid are jetted to an obstruction object and impact it at highspeed, and then the medicinal liquid is spattered to transform liquiddrops into a fine spray to be discharged from a tube.

No matter it is an ultrasonic nebulizer or a pneumatic nebulizer, themedicine cup can be replaced by pushing. However, for the conventionalnebulizer with a medicine cup changed by pushing, multiple springs arerequired to be installed inside in order to achieve bidirectionalmovement. Therefore, the conventional nebulizer has complicatedcomponents and requires high production costs. Industries desire toprovide an improved nebulizer with simplified components and reducedsprings.

In views of this, in order to solve the above disadvantages, the presentinventor studied related technology and provided a reasonable andeffective solution in the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a nebulizer with a press-type medicinecup. The medicine cup can be replaced by pushing a multi-directionalresilient member. The nebulizer eliminates the need for multiple springswhich are otherwise needed by a conventional nebulizer. Therefore, thenebulizer has simplified components and a simple structure for easyassembly and also saves production costs.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the present inventionprovides a nebulizer with a press-type medicine cup, comprising: a body;a medicine cup; an engagement structure, the engagement structureincluding an inner protruding base and an outer protruding blockdisposed outside the inner protruding base, the inner protruding baseextending from one of the body and the medicine cup, the outerprotruding block extending from the other one of the body and themedicine cup, the inner protruding base including a cavity inside andincluding an opening and two through holes communicating with thecavity, the outer protruding block including two engagement grooves; anda multi-directional resilient member installed in the cavity, themulti-directional resilient member including a press element, twostraight resilient arms extending from the press element, two obliqueresilient arms being bent backward from the two straight resilient arms,a block member being disposed at a distal end of each of the obliqueresilient arms, the press element being inserted through and exposedfrom the opening, the two block members being inserted through the twothrough holes and engaged with the two engagement grooves respectively,wherein when the press element is pressed, the two block members aredriven to retract into the two through holes to be released from the twoengagement grooves, so that the medicine cup is detachably connected tothe body.

Accordingly, when the multi-directional resilient member moves, itcauses movement in two directions, i.e. the press member is exposed fromor retracts into the opening, and the block member is exposed from orretracts into the through holes. Therefore, the nebulizer can use asingle multi-directional resilient member, instead of multiple springs,while achieving bi-directional movement to facilitate resilientrestoration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will become more fully understood from the detaileddescription, and the drawings given herein below is for illustrationonly, and thus does not limit the disclosure, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view illustrating a nebulizer accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective exploded view illustrating the nebulizeraccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a multi-directional resilientmember of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a first in-use view illustrating the nebulizer according tothe first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective assembled view illustrating the nebulizeraccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a second in-use view illustrating the nebulizer according tothe first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a third in-use view illustrating the nebulizer according tothe first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a fourth in-use view illustrating the nebulizer according tothe first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a first in-use view illustrating the nebulizer according tothe second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a second in-use view illustrating the nebulizer according tothe second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed descriptions and technical contents of the present inventionare illustrated below in conjunction with the accompany drawings.However, it is to be understood that the descriptions and the accompanydrawings disclosed herein are merely illustrative and exemplary and notintended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 to 8 illustrating a nebulizer with a press-typemedicine cup according to the first embodiment of the present invention.The nebulizer 10 includes a body 1, a medicine cup 2, an engagementstructure 3 and a multi-directional resilient member 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIGS. 4 to 8, the body 1 is a powersupply body 11, i.e. the power supply body 11 including a battery insidefor supplying power. The power supply body 11 includes a switch 111 anda plurality of electrodes 112.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIGS. 4 to 8, the medicine cup 2includes a spray hole 21, a medicinal liquid chamber 22 is disposedinside the medicine cup 2, and the medicinal liquid chamber 22communicates with the spray hole 21. A fine spray generator (notillustrated) is installed inside the medicine cup 2. The medicine cup 2includes a plurality of conductive portions 23 electrically connected tothe fine spray generator. Each electrode 112 is electrically connectedto each of the conductive portions 23, so that the power supply body 11supplies power to the fine spray generator.

The fine spray generator (not illustrated) can be a sound waveoscillating device or a pneumatic device. The sound wave oscillatingdevice utilizes ultrasonic sound waves to turn a medicinal liquid intoaerosol and discharge it from the spray opening 21. In the pneumaticdevice, a compressed gas passes through a small tube opening at highspeed, which causes a negative pressure. By means of the negativepressure, the medicinal liquid is jetted to an obstruction object andimpacts it at high speed, and then the medicinal liquid is spattered totransform liquid drops into the fine spray to be discharged from thespray opening 21.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIGS. 4 to 8, the engagement structure 3includes an inner protruding base 31 and an outer protruding block 32disposed outside the inner protruding base 31. The inner protruding base31 extends from one of the body 1 and the medicine cup 2, the outerprotruding block 32 extends from the other one of the body 1 and themedicine cup 2, the inner protruding base 31 includes a cavity 311inside and includes an opening 312 and two through holes 313communicating with the cavity 311, and the outer protruding block 32includes two engagement grooves 321. According to the presentembodiment, the inner protruding base 31 integrally extends from thebody 1, the outer protruding block 32 extends from the medicine cup 2;however, the present invention is not limited in this regard.

To be specific, the engagement structure 3 further includes two firstblockers 33 and two second blockers 34, the two first blockers 33 areformed at respective inner surfaces of the two through holes 313 awayfrom the press element 41, the two second blockers 34 are formed at therespective inner surfaces of the two through holes 313 close to thepress element 41, the two first blockers 33 are in contact with the twoblock members 431 respectively, and the two second blockers 34 are incontact with the two block members 431 respectively. As shown in FIGS. 1to 4, and FIGS. 6 to 8, the multi-directional resilient member 4 isinstalled in the cavity 311, the multi-directional resilient member 4includes a press element 41, two straight resilient arms 42 extend fromthe press element 41, two oblique resilient arms 43 are bent backwardfrom the two straight resilient arms 42, a block member 431 is disposedat a distal end of each of the oblique resilient arms 43, and each ofthe oblique resilient arms 43 includes an outer oblique side 432.

When the press element 41 is inserted through and exposed from theopening 312, the two block members 431 are inserted through and exposedfrom the two through holes 313 respectively, and each of the obliqueresilient arms 43 forms a first acute angle θ with respect to acorresponding one of the straight resilient arms 42.

When the press element 41 is pressed, the two block members 431 aredriven to retract into the two through holes 313 to be released from thetwo engagement grooves 321, so that the medicine cup 2 can be assembledto or be detached from the body 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, the nebulizer 10 of the present invention ischaracterized in that, the engagement structure 3 includes the innerprotruding base 31 and the outer protruding block 32 disposed outsidethe inner protruding base 31, the inner protruding base 31 extendsintegrally from one of the body 1 and the medicine cup 2, the outerprotruding block 32 extends from the other one of the body 1 and themedicine cup 2, the inner protruding base 31 includes the cavity 311inside and also includes the opening 312 and the two through holes 313communicating with the cavity 311, and the outer protruding block 32includes the two engagement grooves 321. Furthermore, themulti-directional resilient member 4 is installed in the cavity 311, themulti-directional resilient member 4 includes the press element 41, thetwo straight resilient arms 42 extend from the press element 41, the twooblique resilient arms 43 are bent backward from the two straightresilient arms 42, the block member 431 is disposed at the distal end ofeach of the oblique resilient arms 43, the press element 41 is insertedthrough and exposed from the opening 312, the two block members 431 areinserted through the two through holes 313 respectively and are engagedwith the two engagement grooves 321. When the press element 41 ispressed, the two block members 431 are driven to retract into the twothrough holes 313 to be released from the two engagement grooves 321, sothat the medicine cup 2 is detachably connected to the body 1.Accordingly, the medicine cup 2 can be replaced by a pushing methodusing the multi-directional resilient member 4. In addition to that, thepresent invention eliminates the need for multiple springs which wouldbe otherwise needed by a conventional nebulizer. Therefore, thenebulizer 10 has simplified components, is easy to assemble, and savesproduction costs.

Please refer to FIGS. 4 to 8, which are in-use views of the nebulizer 10according to the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the innerprotruding base 31 is engaged with the outer protruding block 32, andthe two block members 431 of the two oblique resilient arms 43 areengaged with the two engagement grooves 321 of the medicine cup 2, sothat the medicine cup 2 is assembled to the body 1. As shown in FIGS. 7and 8, when the press element 41 is pressed, the oblique resilient arm43 is driven to move, the first blockers 33 are in contact with therespective block members 431, and thereby each of the oblique resilientarms 43 forms a second acute angle θ′ with respect to a correspondingone of the straight resilient arms 42, and the second acute angle θ′ issmaller than the first acute angle θ (see FIG. 6), so that the two blockmembers 431 retract into the two through holes 313. At this point, thetwo block members 431 are disengaged from the two engagement grooves321, and thus the medicine cup 2 is detached from the body 1.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, each of the second blockers 34 is also incontact with each of the block members 431 to thereby restrict movementof the respective block members 431. When the press element 41 is notpressed, the multi-directional resilient member 4 is restored to itsoriginal shape, the press element 41 is exposed from the opening 312,the oblique resilient arms 43 and the straight resilient arms 42 are notsqueezed, so that the second acute angle θ′ between the obliqueresilient arm 43 and the straight resilient arm 42 is changed back tothe first acute angle θ, and thereby the two block members 431 aresuccessfully exposed from the two through holes 313.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIGS. 4 to 8, in other embodiment of the presentinvention, a fixation rod 411 extends from the press element 41 and isreceived in the cavity 311, the nebulizer 10 further comprises arestoring assembly 5, the restoring assembly includes a clamping plate51 and a restoring spring 52, the clamping plate 51 is disposed in thecavity 311, the restoring spring 52 is clamped between the clampingplate 51 and the press element 41. The restoring spring 52 is a helicalspring 521, and the helical spring 521 receives the fixation rod 411.The restoring spring 52 is used to push the press element 41, so thatthe press element 41 is exposed from the opening 312. When the presselement 41 is not pressed, the restoring spring 52 pushes themulti-directional resilient member 4 to restore to its original shape,so that the two block members 431 are pushed to be exposed from the twothrough holes 313 rapidly and smoothly when the press element 41 becomesexposed from the opening 312.

Furthermore, the multi-directional resilient element 4 includes twostraight resilient arms 42 extending from the press element 41 and alsoincludes two oblique resilient arms 43 bent backward from the twostraight resilient arms 42. Therefore, when the multi-directionalresilient element 4 moves, it causes movement in two differentdirections wherein the press element 41 is exposed from or retracts intothe opening 312, and the block member 431 is exposed from or retractsinto the through hole 313. By this configuration, the present inventionuses the single multi-directional resilient element 4 to eliminate theneed for multiple springs, and the multi-directional resilient element 4can enable bidirectional movement for resilient restoration actions.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10 showing the nebulizer 10 according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention, the second embodiment issubstantially the same as the first embodiment, but the secondembodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the firstblocker 33′ is disposed at a different place.

To be specific, the two first blockers 33′ of the engagement structure 3are disposed in the cavity 311 and are in contact with the respectiveouter oblique sides 432 of the two oblique resilient arms 43. When thepress element 41 drives movement of the oblique resilient arms 43, thetwo first blockers 33′ are in contact with the outer oblique sides 432of the two oblique resilient arms 43, the two block members 431 retractinto the two through holes 313, and the two block members 431 arethereby released from the two engagement grooves 321, so the medicinecup 2 is detached from the body 1.

It should be noted that, inside the nebulizer 10 of the presentinvention, the inner protruding base 31 and the outer protruding block32 can be interchanged. To be specific, in FIGS. 1 to 8, the innerprotruding base 31 extends from the body 1, and the outer protrudingblock 32 extends from the medicine cup 2; alternatively, the innerprotruding base extends from the medicine cup 2, and the outerprotruding block 32 extends from the body 1 (not illustrated).

Moreover, although the inner protruding base 31 can be extended from themedicine cup 2, and the outer protruding block 32 can be extended fromthe body 1, it should be noted that the inner protruding base 31 isstill correspondingly engaged with the outer protruding base 32, and themulti-directional resilient member 4 is still installed in the cavity311 (inside the inner protruding base 31), and the medicine cup 2 isassembled to or detached from the body 1 according to the same operationprinciple. Thus, the second embodiment achieves the same functions andeffects as the first embodiment does.

It is to be understood that the above descriptions are merely thepreferable embodiments of the present invention and are not intended tolimit the scope of the present invention. Equivalent changes andmodifications made in the spirit of the present invention are regardedas falling within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A nebulizer with a press-type medicine cup,comprising: a body; a medicine cup; an engagement structure, theengagement structure including an inner protruding base and an outerprotruding block disposed outside the inner protruding base, the innerprotruding base extending from one of the body and the medicine cup, theouter protruding block extending from the other one of the body and themedicine cup, the inner protruding base including a cavity inside andincluding an opening and two through holes communicating with thecavity, the outer protruding block including two engagement grooves; anda multi-directional resilient member installed in the cavity, themulti-directional resilient member including a press element, twostraight resilient arms extending from the press element, two obliqueresilient arms being bent backward from the two straight resilient arms,a block member being disposed at a distal end of each of the obliqueresilient arms, the press element being inserted through and exposedfrom the opening, the two block members being inserted through the twothrough holes and engaged with the two engagement grooves respectively,wherein when the press element is pressed, the two block members aredriven to retract into the two through holes to be released from the twoengagement grooves, so that the medicine cup is detachably connected tothe body.
 2. The nebulizer with the press-type medicine cup according toclaim 1, further comprising a restoring assembly, the restoring assemblyincluding a clamping plate and a restoring spring, the clamping platebeing disposed in the cavity, the restoring spring being clamped betweenthe clamping plate and the press element.
 3. The nebulizer with thepress-type medicine cup according to claim 2, wherein a fixation rodextends from the press element and is received in the cavity, and therestoring spring is a helical spring, and the helical spring receivesthe fixation rod.
 4. The nebulizer with the press-type medicine cupaccording to claim 1, wherein the engagement structure further includestwo first blockers, the two first blockers are formed at respectiveinner surfaces of the two through holes away from the press element, andthe two first blockers are in contact with the two block membersrespectively.
 5. The nebulizer with the press-type medicine cupaccording to claim 4, wherein the engagement structure further includestwo second blockers, the two second blockers are formed at therespective inner surfaces of the two through holes close to the presselement, and the two second blockers are in contact with the two blockmembers respectively.
 6. The nebulizer with the press-type medicine cupaccording to claim 1, wherein each of the oblique resilient armsincludes an outer oblique side, the engagement structure furtherincludes two first blockers, and the two first blockers are disposed inthe cavity and are in contact with the respective outer oblique sides ofthe two oblique resilient arms.
 7. The nebulizer with the press-typemedicine cup according to claim 6, wherein the engagement structurefurther includes two second blockers, the two second blockers are formedat respective inner surfaces of the two through holes close to the presselement, and the two second blockers are in contact with the two blockmembers respectively.
 8. The nebulizer with the press-type medicine cupaccording to claim 1, wherein when the press element is exposed from theopening, each of the oblique resilient arms forms a first acute anglewith respect to a corresponding one of the straight resilient arms. 9.The nebulizer with the press-type medicine cup according to claim 8,wherein when the press element is pressed, each of the oblique resilientarms forms a second acute angle with respect to a corresponding one ofthe straight resilient arms, and the second acute angle is smaller thanthe first acute angle.
 10. The nebulizer with the press-type medicinecup according to claim 1, wherein the medicine cup includes a sprayhole, a medicinal liquid chamber is disposed inside the medicine cup,and the medicinal liquid chamber communicates with the spray hole. 11.The nebulizer with the press-type medicine cup according to claim 10,wherein the body is a power supply body, the power supply body includesa switch and a plurality of electrodes, the medicine cup includes aplurality of conductive portions, and each of the electrodes iselectrically connected to each of the conductive portions.